What Is Love?
by shounenai4life
Summary: Gaara of the sand has never known love. On a quest to do just that,he goes to Naruto, the only one who's ever treated him like a human. Can Naruto heal him? Could he, possibly, show him what love is? Slash Gaara/Naruto-Rated M for swearing,possible sex
1. Chapter 1

"What is love?"

The question had been innocent, the words escaping from the lips of a child who's own innocence had been marred from the age of six. He had killed many, firstly by accident, then by his own hands, taking great care to stab the victim in their heart before they died, laughing evilly as he did. How dare these cruel people try to assassinate him? Then he would cry, the blood of the dead dripping from his hands. He only killed when he was attacked, but he was attacked so often he really couldn't tell the difference any more. He didn't want to kill. He wanted to have people care about him, and be his friend.

But it was too late for that.

Too late, because he no longer trusted another soul, knowing those fiendish demons were nothing but a pack of hounds, wanting to destroy anything that wasn't like them. He would hide away from them on his own, and never let them bother him, for he knew no one would ever get close enough to know the real him, to know of the teddy beat that he cried himself to sleep with every night, to know that he really liked fuzzy slippers and warmth, and would love to get the feeling of a hug. To know him, the real him.

Then he'd met Naruto.

He remembered their fight, there up in the treetops. He remembered all the protection Naruto had given to his friends, all the love. He didn't know if was love, but he'd heard it was, and now, he wanted to know what _love really was_. His uncle had given him a definition but, something about people who tried to kill him just made him slightly distrustful of them and he didn't know if it were real.

Naruto had won that fight and as they both had laid collapsed on the ground, he'd began sliding towards Gaara, something Gaara had tried to stop, screaming at Naruto to stay away from him. Even when Sasuke had come, telling Naruto to stop over exerting himself, he hadn't heeded him coming closer and closer, till he was side by side with a trembling Gaara. He'd never been this close to someone in so long, it was frightening.

It made him feel strange.

The words Naruto had whispered into his ear had changed his life forever. "_You know, people have told me I was a monster so many times but, now that I have friends, I know I'm human too. love did that for me, love from others. I know you're lonely, I know you're in turmoil and you're confused but I swear, love makes it all better." _he paused to laugh, and his soft breath tickled Gaara's ear, but he didn't move for no one had ever spoken so gently to him. "_Tch, you don't scare me. I know you're not a monster, I don't even need to know you're past, I see it in you're eyes. You just need love. I hope you get it. Just try to be a little more open if you can, hey dattebayo? I'm sure it'll be okay if you try."_

Sasuke had made a peevish, almost jealous sound of annoyance at their close proximity and words he wasn't hearing, and had helped Naruto up, in turn whispering to him, almost flirtatiously, peeking back to see if Gaara was watching. Naruto's eyes had widened, and he'd blushed, staring into a very serious Sasuke's face. Gaara stared at him. That boy….he'd never forget him. But Kankuro had come, and Temari, and they'd taken him away.

He hadn't seen him since.

Now he was on the trail back to Konoha, this time alone. He wasn't on a mission, he didn't have an evil, diabolical reason to be there, he just had a question. A question for the blue-eyed boy who'd been on his mind since that fight. He'd left his village much to the obvious relief of everyone. Of course they were glad to see him go.

He needed to know what love was, he needed to know so badly it hurt. So he could get a chance, a small chance, to heal. It was late, but he never slept, and he needed to know now. The boy would just have to make time.

"Naruto." He said simply to a shop keeper closing for the night.

"Down the road, number 24." The man didn't look back. If he had he most likely would've frozen in fear. 'Everyone hates me.'

The thoughts of possible love had been grating at his sanity for a long time now, since the boy had told him it was possible for him to get some. How? Did he have to do a mission to get it? He'd do anything for it, he needed it. He wanted to know what it was like, he had to feel it.

He opened the door, which was unlocked and began walking towards the bedroom. He knew the boy lived alone but, he began wondering if anyone were with him. The bedroom had clothes all over the floor and a strange smell to it. He looked sullenly at the figure covered under the sheets, then, reaching out, grasped them and flung them back. The boy was going to talk to him and he was going to do it _now_.

He cocked his head to the side that was before him. Naruto was in the arms of the pale boy Sasuke, his arms curled into fists the pressed again Sasuke's chest, his head in the crook of his shoulder. It looked so…intimate. They both wore undergarments, though Naruto had no shirt and Sasuke had no pants and somehow it felt to him that this was connected with love, this position.

Then they stirred.

Naruto looked up to see a darkly clad boy standing in the moonlit shadows and screamed. "Shit! I didn't lock the door! Sasuke you ass, you see what trying to make a move on me does. That's why I said I don't want sex, you're just too…you're not good for me!"

"Well we didn't have it did we? So stop wining! God, _I_ wanted it but you were all, 'do you love me' and shit. I don't! But I could if you'd just let me fuck you!"

"Love come's first. You don't care for me and I'm a virgin so that's why I said no. Love always comes first."

Gaara found this an opening in the interesting conversation between the boys, as all this time he'd simply been silently staring at them in wonder. "What is love?" he said simply.

Naruto sat up and peered into his face. "It's Gaara of the sand! Hey! What are you doing here? Is something going on in your village eh?"

Gaara shook his head. "The door was unlocked. I want you to tell me what is love. You told me I could get it before. I want to know what it is. No one will tell me."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Won't even fuck me." He mumbled under his breath as he pulled on his clothes. "See ya Naruto. I'm gonna check by Kiba. He's always ready for sex."

"Have fun." Naruto said dryly.

He grabbed his pj shirt and slipped it over his head, gesturing for Gaara to sit on the way. " You came all the way here in the middle of the night to ask me what is love?" he said. "That's cool, Dattebayo!"

Gaara remained standing. "It's only 10." He said stiffly.

Naruto grabbed his arm and pulled, making Gaara stiff at the touch. Touch was foreign to him, but here this…this _blond_ was tugging him. He sat down.

"I missed you. How've you been?"

"Depressed."

"…Ok…"

"Please, answer my question. I must know or I fear my soul may disappear."

Naruto sighed. "Love is…caring about someone to the point of wanting to protect them no matter what. It's a feeing. But they're different types of it. The friendship type and the romantic type and the brotherly type."

"Complicated."

"Yeah…"

"So how…how does love feel? How do you know?

Naruto looked over at Gaara, wondering if he were dreaming, or if the red-head was really asking him these questions. "There's a difference between love and lust people often mix up."

"What's lu-"

Gaara was cut of as he felt his body being pushed back unto the bed. And suddenly Naruto was on top of him, doing this funny stroking motion between his legs. He twitched, and felt his member becoming hard. "Wh-what jutsu is this?" he asked tremblingly.

"This is lust. What teenage boy's often feel. You're feeling it for me right now in fact."

Gaara trembled. "My penis…it's painfully erect."

Naruto kept stroking. "Shh, I'm fixing that."

Gaara lay there, eyes wide as Naruto went faster. He tried gripping unto the bed to stop the feeling, the feeling of…pleasure, from taking him over. But he liked it. He widened his legs. Then, as suddenly as he'd started, Naruto stopped. "Don't want to mess up your pants." He said, shrugging.

Gaara let one tiny whimper escape his throat before he gained his composer. "I want you to go on." He said placidly. "Finish stroking my penis in that way. It pleases me."

Naruto blushed crimson at Gaara's forth ward words. "I don't even know why I did it. I just didn't want to explain lust without speaking."

"We can discuss love soon enough. You have made my penis hurt with wanting. Put your had back where it was."

"B-but, it'll mess up your pants. And I don't really know you enough to touch you like that. I've only done it to myself…"

His eyes widened as Gaara lifted his hips and pulled off his pants and boxers, revealing his erect manhood. "Finish your secret jutsu."

Naruto felt himself growing erect just from the side of a surprisingly well-build boy gazing up at him. "How did you know I was gay?" he whispered.

"You smile often."

"Not that way... just…"

"Naruto," Gaara took his small hand and picked up Naruto's, carefully placing it over his organ. "I know nothing of love or love-making or affection, but I do believe I want you to touch me in this way. Please do."

Naruto felt hungry as his eyes ravenously took in Gaara's slender body. "Alright."

5minuteslater5minuteslater5minuteslater5minuteslater5minuteslater5minuteslater5minuteslater

"You are skilled. That jutsu had me captivated." Gaara said, still panting from the ejaculation he'd just had. Naruto blushed. "It's no jutsu. It's called a 'hand job' or 'masturbation'.

Gaara raised his body up. "I see. I enjoyed it."

"Yeah, so about love. You can only get it when you're a friend. You're friends will love you for you and eventually…you will love them too, and the love will grow into more, from friendship love, to brotherly love, to romantic love."

Gaara's bottom lip trembled. He had just finished toweling himself dry and pulling up his pants and was now looking at Naruto with tear-filled eyes. "Naruto." He whispered, reaching out and clutching to the material of Naruto's sleeve. "Naruto…"

"What is it?"

"I…will never find love then." He whispered, wondering why, after so long on his life he had chosen now to cry. The threat of tears was upon him, overcrowding his usually lifeless eyes. "Why?" Naruto sounded almost as upset as he did and be briefly wondered why.

"I have no friends." He murmured. Then he shut his eyes against the hot tears pouring from his eyes. Naruto's eyes widened. "Oh…Gaara."

Gaara had heard of hugs, those warm fuzzy things that took people over. He'd seen them, people clutching to each other for different amounts of time, with different amounts of closeness. But, he'd never felt one, in his whole 13 year old life, not once had he experienced a hug.

Until now.

When Naruto's arms had encircled him, one at the back of his head, as if he were an infant and one firmly around his waist, he nearly let his sand out, wondering if the boy was trying to strangle him or something. "Let it all out." Naruto murmured. And for once he did. There was a lot to be let out.

"Shh, Gaara it's okay. I know how you feel, exactly how you feel. I've felt it too, but I can fix it." He said firmly.

"How?" Gaara said looking up. He would've liked to return the hug to Naruto but he knew not how and didn't want to do it wrong.

"I'll be you're friend." Naruto whispered. "I'll be you're best friend. You only need one. I'll be it for you alright Gaara?"

Gaara blinked and looked down. "Is this what love is?"

Naruto chuckled. "I'm not the best with words, so, just like how I showed you what lust is, I guess I'll do the same with love. Dattebayo."

Garra shook his head. "You're lying." He whispered, pushing Naruto away, and disgustedly wiping his face. "I don't want to get close to you, because I know you'll just hurt me, same as my uncle. You're lying."

"I am not." Naruto said angry at the accusion. "You're the one who just stormed into my house asking about love. I would think that meant you trusted me even in the slightest."

Gaara shook his head. "You…you are just like my uncle. You want to kill me too? You're lying." He got up and made his way to the door, then paused. "Thanks for the handjob." He said shyly. "At least I know about lust."

Then, in a whip of sand he was gone, leaving Naruto to wonder if it had all been a dream.

'No,' he decided. 'My hands are still sticky from touching him.'

_**To be continued…**_


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

The books he'd read hadn't helped him and neither had Kankuro (though there was no surprise there), so now he was just sitting in his room, staring across the wooden floor at his door, knowing no more about love than he had before. Naruto had given him a promise of friendship, one which he'd blatantly refused. He didn't know if he should've, but, he knew if he got hurt again by anyone, this would be a rampage that he would never be able to get under control.

Put simply, he'd go mad.

There were noises coming from outside and he peeked out the window to see what was going on. There, of course was Naruto, screaming at an innocent looking man. "He's in there." He yelled boisterously. "And I want to see him."

"I'm sure you've got your guy mistaken. The man said. The child that is in that house is not one that you want to see."

"Yes he him!" Naruto snapped pompously. "He's Gaara of the sand, ne? I want to see him…NOW."

The man looked distraught. "That boy is a demon…if you only knew the things he has done…the people he has killed. He has a demon inside him and I heard at night he can't sleep and instead goes out in search of prey to feed on."

He didn't see how quickly Naruto moved, but he did know that one second he was standing in the middle of the road and the next he was flat on the ground with a little blonde boys hand around his throat. "Gaara is not a monster." He hissed. "You're the monster. You and everyone else here that treats him like he's nothing! HE'S NOT NOTHING! AND IF YOU CONTINUE TREATING HIM LIKE A MONSTER HE _WILL_ TURN INTO ONE!"

"Naruto…" Gaara said quietly from his window. "Stop causing a scene and get in here."

Naruto got off the man and looked up at Gaara. His eyes were red. Not red, as in red from crying or anger, but red, the color of sapphire and rubies and everywhere was red but the whites around the eye.

He jumped up and pounced through the window and into Gaara's room, still looking as angry as hell. "Why the hell do you even live around these bastards?" He said as he walked towards Gaara putting his arms around Gaara, drawing the tiny boy into his arms. Gaara pushed him off and went back to the book he'd been reading before Naruto had come.

"I don't need a knight in shining armor." He said sullenly. "I'm old enough to protect myself. I've been doing it all my life."

He flipped a page in his book, not really seeing the words, because though he knew Naruto wouldn't be able to tell by the expression on his face, he was deeply touched by the way Naruto had stood up for him, and not cowered in fear and slinked away like everyone else who had ever come to visit him.

"Well anyways," Naruto grinned, his eyes returning to their normal color. "I came to invite you out with me and Sasuke. We're going down by the waterfalls tomorrow and I was wondering if you'd want to come along."

"No…" Gaara said, and then he cursed himself, for the interest he held in Naruto's words was obvious.

"They'll be loads of sand on the beach…" Naruto taunted, smiling childishly. Gaara couldn't help but looking up curiously. There, curled up on his bed, without that scary giant cocoon of a sand box, he actually looked vulnerable. Gaara looked at Naruto quietly. "I'm not going anywhere with you." He said, making sure to keep his voice calm and his eyes on his book. Naruto went quiet and was just about to go into pouting mode when Temari pushed open his door. "You're going with him Gaara. And you're going to have fun! I can't believe someone actually asked you out!"

Gaara looked into her eyes, hoping his gaze would scare his sister away. But she was far too ecstatic to notice him. "Who are you?" she asked Naruto.

"Umm…I'm Naruto Uzumaki…Gaara-Chan's friend…"

Temari squealed again. "Oh my gosh! Gaara, you have FRIENDS??"

Gaara glared at her. "He's not my friend. He's a stalker."

Naruto smiled. "That means you're coming right?"

"I'm going to go pack your stuff right now. You have those cute little red swim trunks you've never worn. Oooh, I'll pack the camera too! And you're shovel, and you're pail." Temari grinned before rushing off.

Gaara blushed furiously, bringing up his book to hide his face. 'Shit…I'm blushing!' he thought. That was a feat for him, something he rarely ever did.

Naruto smiled. "Aww, you have little red swim trunks. I can't wait to see you in them."

Gaara blushed even more, not really believing what was going on. Naruto sounded like he was hitting on him!

"I'm not going." He said firmly. "You can't make me go. Nothing you say will make me go."

He WOULD NOT go.

He went.

Gaara found himself, standing on the sandy shores by the waterfall in his little red swim trunks…and his pail and shovel in hand. Temari had practically dragged him the whole way there even though he'd threatened to kill her if she touched him. She could be rather scary when she felt like.

Sasuke looked at him scrutinizingly. "Well….no competition here…" he said, gazing at Gaara's not so well-developed chest. Then he smiled cruelly, the corners of his lips going upwards in that annoying smirk he so often put on.

"Sasuke, be nice." Naruto said angrily, crossing his arms. The look Sasuke gave him was one that an adoring dog generally gave to his master after he'd done something wrong. "Fine." He puffed, though he planted a hand firmly on his black swim trunk clad hip.

"But if he bugs me…I'll hurt him. He's weird."

Gaara was silent, dipping into his bag to pull out a tee-shirt, slipping it on before sitting down and beginning to dig up the sand, placing it into his plastic bucket. He didn't like being exposed, not only because he thought of himself as skinny and pale, but because it made him feel even more vulnerable to the world.

"Aww, you're so cute." Naruto cooed. "Isn't he cute Sasuke? Isn't he innocent?"

Gaara shot Naruto a death glare, though he was blushing on the inside and went back to building his sand castle. Naruto seemed unaffected.

Sasuke glared at Gaara, as if he'd deliberately set out to look adorable as he molded the purely white sand into some sort of tower-like thing. Gaara ignored him. He said he would come, but he didn't say anything about being social. Most likely one of the many reasons he had no friends.

"Whatever." Said Sasuke peevishly. "Com'n Naruto. Let's go into the water already."

"That can wait." Naruto said with a backwards glance at Sasuke. Their friendship was weird, on a fine line between boyfriends, best friends and arch enemies. He often got mad at Sasuke for one thing or another, whether it was his being too mean, insensitive or trying to hit on him, but then there were those times when Sasuke was just a total sweetheart, usually when they were alone (he too often got jealous when Naruto was around anyone else), and even more rare, there were the times when they got just a bit too close and…Naruto could still feel the taste of Sasuke's lips on his.

He instead, knelt beside Gaara and watched the boy work.

"It looks nice." He said quietly. Gaara gave him a curious look.

"…" he said.

"Can…can I help you maybe?" Naruto tried again.

"…" said Gaara, before giving one deft nod of his head, indicating to Naruto that he could join.

Naruto sat close by him, smiling at Gaara every few minutes, and every time he looked at him, Gaara felt his stomach do this strange jump/flutter he wasn't used to. He blamed it on Naruto's eyes, the gorgeous depth of the blue in constant competition with the ocean. He couldn't decide which was more beautiful. He blamed it on his hair, all that golden blonde mass of silk that he felt himself itching to touch.

But mostly he blamed it on Naruto's smile, the one that made it seem…but no, it couldn't be, that he actually cared.

Sasuke plopped himself beside Naruto, visibly pouting. "I want to go swim. We came here to swim. He didn't even need to come anyways. I wanted to give you something."

Naruto's eyes flashed. "Sasuke, act your age for five minutes could you. What did you want to give me?"

Sasuke shot another glance in Gaara's general direction. "I don't want to give you it in front of him…"

"Sasuke…" Naruto sounded as if he was getting angry now.

"Fine." Sasuke shrugged, before pushing Naruto unto the warm sand, moving on top of him, and beginning to trail his lips teasingly over the others. Naruto was in too much shock to move, and with the way Sasuke's arms were around him, he wouldn't be able to even if he could.

Gaara stopped shoveling and watched, wide eyed with pure innocent curiosity as Sasuke's fingers moved over Naruto's body in a way he knew he wasn't supposed to be seeing.

"Sasuke…" Naruto moaned, trying to push the bigger boy off of him. "Stop it, that's really rude."

Sasuke continued, and Gaara watched him grow even more passionate. And he could see Sasuke's tongue. He wasn't sure if it was supposed to be falling out of his mouth and into Naruto's, but Naruto definitely seemed to like it every time he made the mistake.

Finally, Naruto got him off. "Sasuke!" he spluttered. "What's wrong with you!" then he looked at Gaara. "I'm so sorry you had to see that Gaara-chan. Sasuke is a teme."

Gaara looked at Naruto's chest in fascination. "Your nipples," he worded carefully. "They're hard."

"Lust." Naruto waved off, giving Sasuke an icy glare. "Cant keep it in your pants can you Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged. "You loved it." He said.

Lust. Gaara smiled to himself, to himself being the most important word, for he would never smile for anyone else to see. He knew what that was. "You don't love Sasuke then." He said triumphantly, upon remembering Naruto's definition of both words.

"I do love him. Not the way most people love…but I love him. In the friend way." Naruto defended.

"But you said…"

"You can love and lust at the same time Gaara, they're just not the same thing."

Gaara then decided his entire day hadn't been completely wasted, for he had learnt something new. Sasuke was making those noises again, and nudging Naruto impatiently. "Alright, dammit, I'm coming." Naruto grumbled.

He smiled down at Gaara before giving him a gentle little hug. "Play nice." He grinned.

Gaara sat there in the sand, a look of confusion on his face. It couldn't be, he shouldn't even let himself hope that this could last for much longer. So he kept on digging, only letting himself look up at Naruto when he felt he had to check if he were dreaming or not.

Thank you:

Dreamerswaking, YaoiFanGirl101, Kyhy, Enigmus, Lady Laren, Aishiteru, Paige Taylor, missing-ear george, and IEatChicken.

Oh and i'm really surprized to see ppl that reviewed from all my Harry/draco stories reviewing here! Thanks guys.


	3. Chapter 3

Gaara had seen Naruto a total of four times since the invite to the waterfalls, four days out of the seven days of the week. Usually Naruto just talked while he read one of his books, sitting close by Gaara's side and waving his hands animatedly as he described things, in a way that hade the boy feel human, not flinching every time that he moved and going as far as to teasingly hit Gaara's arm when he said something silly. Gaara knew many people, councilors, doctors, wanna-be friends, who had tried to come across as not being scared of Gaara, though all of them had failed miserably. Naruto was warm and friendly and all of things he'd expected a friend to be like.

Things he wasn't used to.

He would never admit, not even to himself, how much he'd began to enjoy these visits, looking forward to them even. But he was certain they wouldn't last long, so he tried not to get attached.

Kankuro and Temari were out on a mission in the water country and so he was alone, out sitting on the balcony, staring at the full moon. It was silent and cold, same as his personality, and he wished to go to sleep. If only he could.

Suddenly he felt the all too familiar feeling of his sand shooting out of its container, picking up something large and heavy and flinging it across the room. He turned. This assassin looked different than all the rest of them, not as experienced, younger too, probably his first time trying at this kind of thing. He lay on the floor bleeding from his mouth and there was a small gash in his head, but he was otherwise fine.

"You _are_ a monster. All the tales I heard are true." The black-clad man rasped out, having trouble breathing. Gaara clenched his fists. This was one of those things that annoyed him to no extent. Someone comes into _his_ house and tries to kill _him_, and _he_ gets called the monster?

He was going to enjoy killing this one. He tried blocking out the painful feeling in his chest. It had been a while since the last assassin. He thought they might've learned their lesson by now, to stop trying, but apparently they hadn't.

It wasn't fair. No teenage boy that hadn't done anything on his own will in terms of trying to hurt people should have to go through this kind of thing. He thought of his uncle, that damned man who'd told him all that about what love was and how much his mother had loved him. He felt the anger bubbling inside his stomach.

Naruto had said if he tried to be nicer to people they would like him more. What would Naruto think now if he saw him, crackling evilly over some 'helpless' victim, ready to choke him to death with his own already bloody hands. Would h still want to be friends then? Oh please.

Gaara straddled the boy who had dared to try killing me and as his mask fell off he saw a handsome pale-faced creature with long jet back hair and dark eyes. He blinked at Gaara. "Kill me." He taunted. "But one day you will die. And unlike you, I would've lived my life as a hero, one of the many who tried to kill the demon that is you. At least I will not die a monster."

Gaara's hand trembled, but he still clasped the boy's slender neck firmly. He was so right. He'd always be a monster. Always. No one would ever love him, and no matter how many people he killed, it would only get worse. There was no meaning to his life, except survival and killing. Killing and surviving. Killing to survive. Surviving to kill. If only Naruto could see him now, he would see the real monster he'd become.

He began squeezing, trying to block out all the stupid human thoughts he was thinking. He wasn't human, he was a monster. Monster's needed not to think, just to kill.

There was a gargling sound coming from the boys throat as he squeezed harder. After he killed him he'd stab him for every single time anyone else had tried killing him. He would…

"Gaara-san. Stop. Please."

Naruto was standing over him and the boy. He most likely hadn't noticed because of the rain, which was pelting hard on the balcony, making everything look dark and misty. His icy fingers froze.

"He must die." He said monotonously, making sure his voice didn't crack. He wanted to cry. It was pathetic, having Naruto see him like this. 'So much for friendship.'

"No Gaara. Stop." Naruto bent and reached down; placing a hand over Gaara's to prevent him from squeezing any further. "He must!" Gaara snarled, caught in the moment, caught in his anger and taking his nails and swiping them across Naruto's forearm, leaving 4 deep, blood dripping scratches.

Naruto pulled his arm back and looked at it, blinking in surprise. Gaara was horrified. He hadn't meant to hurt Naruto, never meant to hurt Naruto. Naruto, the only one who'd ever even looked at him as anything more than a demon. Which he was.

Naruto was silent for a while, and then, of all the things he could have done, he chuckled. "I guess I'm not the only one here with cat instincts. Gaara-san com'n, he's really not worth you time. You're far too important to be killing people that far below you."

He once again reached for Gaara's hand, and Gaara sensed that there was no fear in Naruto towards him. He let his hand be removed, let his body be helped up. He was drenched. Naruto slowly wrapped both arms around him, taking his uninjured hand and using it to hold Gaara's head firmly against his chest. He could hear the scrambling of the terrified assassins footsteps as he ran, but only barely.

All that mattered was the fact that Naruto was still there, stroking him, holding him, even after what he'd done. He trembled. "It's okay. You don't have to explain anything to me." Naruto said. He was crying, but in a way that made him seem far stronger than Gaara had ever imagined even himself to be. "But you don't have to kill either Gaara. These…things, you shouldn't have their blood on your hands. You don't want to be like them, it makes no sense."

He was rocking Gaara side to side as they stood, and even though he was the hurt one, he picked Gaara up in his arms, took him inside and checked over his entire body for injuries, a concerned expression on his face.

Gaara stared at Naruto in a numb sort of confusion, listening to the rain pelt the windows. He felt so warm. Naruto was still here. He let Naruto peel his soaking shirt off and towel his skin and hair, but stopped Naruto from going any further. "Your arm." He said plainly. Naruto nodded. "I'll do something later." He shrugged. Shame overwhelmed Gaara.

"I am sorry." He said softly, looking at the floor. Naruto tipped his chin upwards. "It was an accident. I bet even Mother Teresa would've done something in that situation."

Gaara cracked the tiniest of smiles. Naruto smiled back, wondering at how wonderfully a smile could change someone's face, then, as if it weren't the most important thing Gaara was going to have happen to him, he cupped him cheeks and lightly kissed him.

Gaara blinked, taken aback and feeling the swell of tears fill his eyes as Naruto turned his back to go clean his wounds. Gaara blinked again. All of his lower region was still dripping wet as he sat on the edge of his bed, and his upper region was naked save for a necklace, and he should've been cold, freezing even. But all he could feel was a strange warmth filling his body. Strange, so strange, filling him. Oh God, it was taking him over.

He clutched to his pillow, feeling foreign to his own body. What was happening to him? Memories flooded him. His mothers picture, his uncle, his father, his childhood, his imaginary friends, the demon inside him, everything. He buried his face into the pillow, moving backwards on the bed.

He felt so alone, scared, different. He was alone, because he knew…or he thought he knew, that a commitment to Naruto or anyone else was impossible, he'd hurt too many, scared, because the feelings that were flooding his were telling him that he was letting Naruto in, the one thing that he'd promised himself he'd never do and different because he was scared, which was because he was letting Naruto in.

Naruto came back, and gently took the pillow from him, smiling sweetly. "Did I freak you out that much?" he asked teasingly. Gaara's bottom lip trembled. Then he cracked.

"Naruto-sama." He whispered.

"Hn?"

"I know what love is."

"…hn?"

"You."

Naruto shone his whole 100 watt smile at Gaara, and his huge blue eyes simply glimmered with happiness. "Really? I think that definition is wrong Gaara, unless you are me, because to me, love is _you_."

Gaara smiled back, almost as widely, and he looked simply beautiful. "I suppose it has different meanings for everyone."

Naruto grabbed him and tackled his body, kissing him all over in a way that reminded Gaara that Naruto truly wasn't afraid of him. He began kissing back, deepening everything, holding Naruto's face. This was sudden. Everything was so sudden.

No.

It had been there all along.

"I feel…human." He said.

Naruto looked at him seriously. "You always were. And I always knew that."

Gaara turned his head to the side, confused at how fast things were going. His whole life, he'd never trusted. Was he ready now? He looked at Naruto.

"I know what love is." He whispered, reaching out to stroke Naruto's cheek.

Naruto smiled, bringing Gaara's body closer to his. "Me too." he said. "And wherever this is going, I'm glad I'm going there with you."

* * *

Sorry if the end seems a bit rushed, it was supposed to be a one-shot. I can do another chapter if anyone wants it. If the majority says yes, I will. If not, thanks for reading and reviewing!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto, or any affiliated character

Disclaimer- I do not own Naruto, or any affiliated character. I do own this plot though and I'm very happy to get to come back and write a final chapter.

"Hey." The soft whisper he had come to love so much whispered into his ears as arms wrapped themselves around him. Gaara smiled softly, sinking into the warmth that was his boyfriend. "Hmmm." He answered. Naruto was nibbling his ear again, something he often did after finding Gaara's soft spot, and it drove him mad.

He arched his neck, marinating in the feeling, closing his eyes. He still couldn't believe this was real at times like these. That he had Naruto, that Naruto was his, his very own to love and be loved by. That every morning he woke up either to be spooned in well-defined arms and cuddled and kissed, or to see a half naked blond boy hovering over him and gazing lovingly into his eyes as he played with strands of his thick, red hair.

He had never been exposed to so much love in his life as he had been in those past twelve months by Naruto, and though there were those times when someone pissed him off a bit too much and he got a little crazy, but even then Naruto didn't stop loving him, just held him tightly (even though there was a strong chance that Gaara would kill him) until the pain went away.

The day he had lost his demon had been a wonderful one, and without Naruto he was sure it would not have been possible. Naruto's lips were moving down to his neck now, another favorite spot of his. Gaara trembled. Naruto's touch did such strange things to his body, he wondered how they were still even virgins. Well, he was anyways.

"Had fun tonight?" Naruto whispered softly, looking across the balcony with Gaara, to the full moon he'd been staring at. "Want to go home now?"

Gaara turned so his face was against Naruto's chest, and let himself be held there. This kind of vulnerability and wanting to be loved was only ever shown to his boyfriend and he was sure there would be no one else in the world that would ever be able to get that from him.

"Hmmm." He said again, feeling comfortable, not sure if he wanted to move.

"If you two dobe's have finished being gay out here, I seriously think its time for you to go now. Yeah yeah, I know, anniversary and all, bravo. But I want to go to bed now and I know you want to go to your 'special apartment' and not stay in your own houses, so hurry up would you?" Sasuke said boredly from the doorway.

He'd gotten kind of sulky knowing Naruto and Gaara were out on a date while he was at home watching the soaps. Gaara buried his face into Naruto's shirt even more. "Make him go away." he whispered to his overprotective boyfriend.

"Go away Sasuke." Naruto said affectionately, kissing the top of his tiny lovers head.

Sasuke shrugged. "Whatever. But I'm gone to bed." He said, walking off.

Gaara looked at Naruto. "It was…tonight was…thanks."

"Hey, just you being there made it great." Naruto said honestly. "Don't thank me."

"Well, I still have your gift to give you, but it's at home." Gaara said. "I don't think it's as good as an entire day with you. Dinner, movies, diving, my gosh. How much money did you spend on today??"

"Let's just say that I've been saving since I began dating you." Naruto smiled.

Gaara laughed, knowing Naruto was joking, as they walked out together. "You want to go to your home or to _our_ home?"

"That's where your gift is so a guess." Gaara tried to say indifferently, though his stomach jumped with excitement. What if Naruto didn't like what he got for him? But he really couldn't turn back now.

"Sooo, can I get a hint as to what my gift is going to be?" Naruto asked, hands behind his head and propping it up in that way that he usually walked. Gaara shrugged. "You've told me how much you'd love it about a hundred times." He said. "And every time I told you to wait and you never could."

A flush came to Naruto's tanned cheeks. 'Could he be talking about what I think he is?' he thought with mounting excitement. His pace quickened. Gaara noticed the change and began walking faster as well. Naruto smiled at him. "Always in need of competition eh?" he said good-naturedly, going even faster. Gaara stuck out his tongue and began running.

Soon they were giggling and racing like idiots, pushing each other to get to the gate first. Then they were at the door, panting and grinning. "I won." Gaara said.

"Psh, yeah, whatever makes you happy." Naruto said, reaching over and capturing Gaara's lips in his. Gaara wrapped his arms around Naruto and tilted up his head. "This makes me happy." He said throatily, pulling away quickly before he got any more horny than he already was.

"Come on." He said opening the door. Naruto clapped his hand. "Alright then, where's my gift." He grinned. Gaara took his hand and lead him to the bedroom. "Sit and close your eyes." he ordered, pushing Naruto unto the bed. Naruto obeyed.

When he was told to open them, there was a locket around his neck, with a picture of him and Gaara holding hands in it. "Aww, Gaara that's so sweet." He said, trying not to sound disappointed. He looked around, seeing the room dark. "Gaara?"

"Behind you." Gaara said.

Naruto turned and his mouth hung low. Gaara was sitting, on the bed in nothing but his boxers and a pair of handcuffs that were snapped to his hands. "…Gaara…" Naruto said questioningly. Gaara licked his lips. "You said that you've always wanted me to be submissive to you for the first time. It makes you feel like a man to make me moan, make me scream."

Naruto blushed. "I've never said that." He mumbled feeling embarrassed because what Gaara was saying was true.

"You have in your sleep." Gaara shrugged. "So I thought why not give you your wish? The locket is the key to open this damn thing and don't expect me to do this again for you. I'm not the submissive type."

"So you mean you're finally letting me…" Naruto said. Gaara nodded.

"I'm ready. Been ready for a while but I just waited till now to let you…" he trailed off.

Naruto had been unbuckling his pants and now pulled them off before coming over Gaara. He took off his tie. "I didn't know you were so kinky." He whispered into Gaara's ear. "I don't think I've been this turned on in…I don't think I've _ever_ been this turned on."

Gaara moaned, something he usually refrained from doing. "That feels so good." He smiled as Naruto trailed his tongue up behind his ear and down to his slender neck. Naruto was between his legs now and he hastily took off his shirt before sliding his chest against Gaara's. Snapping off Gaara's locket he opened the handcuffs. "You're submissive enough without them." He smiled, throwing them aside.

His tongue trailed up over Gaara's adam apple and Gaara threw his head back in passion. "D-dammit Naruto." He said through gritted teeth, using his hands to prop himself up. "You're going to make me mess up the sheets."

"Like I nearly did a year ago?" Naruto grinned. Gaara blushed. Naruto's tongue dipped and licked along Gaara's collar bone, planting small kisses over his chest. His teeth grazed Gaara's nipples. Gaara gasped holding tightly unto Naruto's neck for support. They'd done this before, hundreds of times, but ever time they'd done it they'd known that they were going to stop. This time was different.

Naruto kissed Gaara's lips. "You ok?" he said softly. Gaara nodded. "Just please don't stop." He growled out. Naruto's hand was playing with the band of his boxers as if it was deciding whether to dip in or not. It ended up going with the first. Gaara clutched Naruto, his toes curling. "N-naruto." He hissed out, feeling all hot and flustered. "I don't know how much I can take."

Naruto smiled. "Tell me when I've broken you, my wild red-headed stallion." Gaara's back arched automatically when Naruto's hand grasped his organ and he bit down gently unto his shoulder. Naruto's legs were on either side of him and his hand didn't stop moving over him and against him. His hardness rubbed against Gaara's. Gaara hissed and moaned again, this time louder.

Naruto licked lower, and Gaara's chest began rising and falling faster and quicker than before. "Na…Na…Naru…uhhh." He whispered, shutting his eyes tightly, when Naruto moved again, his lips coming and brushing past Gaara's and then going back down. There was too much friction between them, too much heat, too much electricity. It was dark and he could hardly see, but he could feel Naruto's hands and his breath and everything else wonderful about him.

His eyes widened as h felt his boxers being pulled off and saw Naruto's head going lower. 'He's going to…'

He felt Naruto's mouth before his brain registered it and his hips bucked directly upwards. "Dammit Naruto." He whispered, breath raging. "You broke me. I can't take any more. Just go, please."

Naruto smiled and Gaara could taste himself on Naruto's lips when he was kissed.

"How do you want it?" Naruto murmured into his hair. "What do you want me to do to you?"

"I want you," Gaara panted. "Inside me…now." He finished urgently. Naruto blushed at how forward Gaara was being. He turned him around and picked up the forlorn bottle that had been on the bedside table for the last five months. He dipped his finger into it and took the dripping liquid to Gaara's pucker.

He felt Gaara's body stiffen when his finger entered him. "Okay?" he said softly. In reply, Gaara moved backwards, till he was completely wet and effulged. "Yeah." He panted. To make sure, Naruto continued this for a few more times till Gaara was almost dripping as well. Then he lay Gaara on his back and gazed at him as a virgin for the last time

There was not one past of his body that was not beautiful. He was toned and fair and pale and fragile and strong all at the same time. Naruto planted one last kiss on his virgin lips. Gaara kissed back, passionately wrapping his arms around Naruto who smiled into his mouth. At the same time he took his other hand and guided himself to Gaara's widened legs.

When he entered, all Gaara did was shudder, half in pain, half in pleasure and amazement. "I feel connected to you." He whispered. Naruto began moving, slowly, heatedly and lovingly. Gaara slowly was able to handle the feeling and began moving as well. It was almost like there chakra was flowing from one of their bodies to the other. He began moving too. he couldn't see Naruto any more than before, except for his silhouette, and the shuddering, amazing feeling just kept coming and going and coming and going, till it was just coming and coming and coming and coming more and more and more till there was just a huge intense feeling of it that he couldn't take it any more. And apparently, Naruto couldn't either, for they hit thier climaxes at the same time.

He lay there in Naruto's arms, breathing heavily. "I love you so much." Naruto whispered. Gaara was silent, shocked at how much he had grown to need and love Naruto. "I need you so much." He worded.

"I need you more." Naruto said convincingly. Gaara drew in the scent of his lover. He wasn't going to argue about that right now, but something told him Naruto was never going to leave him, and that was all he needed for now. "Happy Anniversary." he whispered to Naruto, a single tear sliding down his cheek. Naruto caught it and brushed it away before it had made its way off Gaara's face. He drew Gaara closer to him, and covered them with the sheets. "I hope you liked your gift."

"You knew just what to give me." Naruto murmered, knowing Gaara was already half-asleep. He stroked away a lock of his hair from his perfect face. "Your trust, fully and completely. Your body, your spirit..."

He kissed Gaara once more before nodding off himself, arms securely around him. "...Yourself."

* * *

Thank you: Enigmus

PyroD

Aranthera

NarukoNamikage

Mitshuiluv

YaoiFanGirl101

Rei


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